CA1088984A - Heat exchanger arrangement for cooling lubricant for vertical electric motor thrust bearing - Google Patents
Heat exchanger arrangement for cooling lubricant for vertical electric motor thrust bearingInfo
- Publication number
- CA1088984A CA1088984A CA328,818A CA328818A CA1088984A CA 1088984 A CA1088984 A CA 1088984A CA 328818 A CA328818 A CA 328818A CA 1088984 A CA1088984 A CA 1088984A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- housing
- air
- lubricant
- reservoir
- apertures
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02K—DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES
- H02K5/00—Casings; Enclosures; Supports
- H02K5/04—Casings or enclosures characterised by the shape, form or construction thereof
- H02K5/16—Means for supporting bearings, e.g. insulating supports or means for fitting bearings in the bearing-shields
- H02K5/167—Means for supporting bearings, e.g. insulating supports or means for fitting bearings in the bearing-shields using sliding-contact or spherical cap bearings
- H02K5/1672—Means for supporting bearings, e.g. insulating supports or means for fitting bearings in the bearing-shields using sliding-contact or spherical cap bearings radially supporting the rotary shaft at both ends of the rotor
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02K—DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES
- H02K9/00—Arrangements for cooling or ventilating
- H02K9/22—Arrangements for cooling or ventilating by solid heat conducting material embedded in, or arranged in contact with, the stator or rotor, e.g. heat bridges
- H02K9/225—Heat pipes
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Power Engineering (AREA)
- Motor Or Generator Cooling System (AREA)
Abstract
Abstract of the Invention An improved lubricant cooling system for a vertical electric motor having a lubricant reservoir and a thrust bearing in the reservoir. A number of heat pipes are disposed in the reservoir with their lower ends in the lubricant and their upper ends exposed to air above the lubricant and within the motor housing. Fan blades driven by the motor shaft, and within the housing, circulate cooling air past the upper ends of the heat pipes.
Description
~;
~08~
HEAT EXCHANGER ARRANGEMENT FOR COOLING LU~RICANT
FOR VERTICAL ELECTRIC MOTOR THRUST BEARING : .
~ACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
.
This invention relates to the lubrication and cooling of a thrust bearing in a vertical electric motor.
It is well known to use various types of heat exchanger apparatus to mainta;n a lubricant, which is in heat absorbing contact with the heat-generating thrust bearing of a vertical electric motor, ~ithin a safe operating range of temperatures. Air cooled heat exchangers are frequently used ~0 when the size of the electr;c motor is such that relatively little heat is dissipated from the thrust bearing into the lubricant, and ~ater cooled heat exhangers are used for the lubricant in larger motors which use thrust bearings that generate significantly more heat. In one known air cooled heat exchanger structure the lubricant is contained within a cylindrical reservoir, or ~ell, surrounding the thrust bearing above the top end frame and having hundreds of open-ended pipes sealed to the top and bottom walls of the well, and ambient air is drawn through the pipes to cool the lubricant. Such air cooled heat exchanger apparatus is expensive to construct because of the large number of pipes and also often results in leaks of lubricant at the seals to the pipes ;n the bottom wall of the reservoir into the interior of the motor housing.
Further, the heated air circulating through the pipes enters the interior of the motor housing and makes cooling of the rotor and stator difficult. Another type of heat exchanger is a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger for the lubricant. This type uses cooling tubes submerged in the lubricant through which water is circulated, and such water cooled heat exchangers 3û
require water inlet and ~ater outlet pipes to external pumping .
equipment which prevent the lubricant cool;ng means from be;ng self-conta;ned w;th;n the motor enclosure. Such water cooled heat exchangers utilize mechan;cal moving parts ;n the pump;ng apparatus vhich are subject to wear as uell as ~ater circulat-ing pipes bet~een the motor encLosure and the installation site which are subject to contam;nation~ corros;on and breakage with the result that such heat exchangers are inconven;ent, complex, costly to manufacture and to ma;ntain, and unreliable when subjected to mechanical stresses encountered ;n earthquakes or similar upheavals.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a vertical electric motor with an improved lubr;cant cooling heat exchanger which is entirely self-contained within the motor enclosure and will ma;nta;n the temperature of the thrust bearing within a satisfactory range and also avoid the disadvantages o~ prior art apparatus.
A further object is to provide a single and reliable cooling means for the motor lubricant ~hich is coMpletely self-contained within the motor enclosure and does not requiremechanical or electrical connections to the surrounding installatiûn site. A still further object is to provide such improved cooling means wherein removal of heat from the ~ubricant is accomplished simply and reliably because there are no moving mechanical parts subject to wear and no l;quid cîrculation p;pes From external apparatus subject to corrosion, contamination and breakage.
Another object is to provide a vert;cal electric motor with such an improved lubricant cooling heat exchanger 3û that is economical to maintain. A further object is to provide a vertical electric motor with such an improved lubricant cool-:`
39~4 ing heat exchanger ~herein seals are not required in the bottom~all of the lubricant reservoir so that the problem of lubri-cant leaking into the interior of the motor housing is avoided.
Still another object is to provide a vertical electric motor ~ith such an improved lubricant cooling heat exchanger ~herein the heat exchange medium heated by the lubricant does not enter the interior of the motor housing and does not affect cooling of the rotor and stator.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
_ Additional objects and advantages of the invention vill be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the follo~ing detailed description ~hen considered ~ith the ; accompanying dra~ing ~herein the single figure is a slde elevation view, partly in cross-section, of the upper portion of a vertical electric motor having a lubricant heat exchanger in accordance ~ith the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A vertical electric motor embodying the invention has a housing enclosing a stator, a rotor, a shaft affixed to the rotor for rotation about a vertical axis, and a lubricant-receiving reservo;r above the rotor and the stator. A
heat-generating thrust bearing supported from the housing is d;sposed ~ithin the reservoir and rotatably supports shaft and rotor. Liquid lubricant ~ithin the reservoir is in heat absorbing and lubricating relation with the thrust bearing. A
plurality of heat transfer heat pipes are supported within the reservoir ~;th their evaporator end submerged in the lubricant and their condenser end exposed to the space within the motor enclosure above the lubricant. Air inlet and a;r exhaust means including a plurality of fan blades rotatably driven from the .
.
, .. . .
.~ .
-~08~39~34 shaft dra~ air ;nto the space within the motor enclosure above the top surface of the lubricant and circulate the air past the condenser end of the heat pipes and out of the motor housing to the atmosphere to thereby enhance cool;ng of the thrust bearing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
~eferring to the single figure of the draw;ng, a - vert;cal electric motor incorporating a preferred embodiment of : the invention has a multi-part hollow housing 10 including a centrally disposed annular yoke, or frame 11. Magnet;c steel laminations are aff;xed to yoke 11 to form a stator core 12, and the rad;ally ;nner edges of the lam;nations are slotted to receive a stator ~inding 14. The par~s of the motor and the;r functional relat;onship are well known and require therefore only brief characterizat;on. Hous;ng 1û also includes upper and Lower circular end frames 15 affixed to opposite ends of yoke 11. A hollow dr;ve shaft 16 ;s rotatably mounted uithin the stator core 12 for rotat;on about a vert;cal ax;s and has a ~aminated rotor 18 rig;dly mounted thereon. Shaft 16 hav;ng rotor 18 affixed thereto ;s supported by a heat-generat;ng thrust bear;ng designated generally a.t 20 supported on top end ~ ~rame 15. A centrifugal pump tnot shown) is typ;cally mounted ; ~ith its ;mpeller coaxial with the motor rotor 18 and ;ts shaft 19 protrud;ng through the hollow shaft 16 so that thrust bearing 2û rotatably supports the we;ght of the motor rotor, to ~h;ch ;s added the clownward thrust due to the static we;ght of the pump ;mpeller and the hydraul;c thrust act;ng on the ;mPeller blades.
Motor hous;ng 10 also has a hollow cylindrical cap portion 21 partially defined by an upstand;ng annular wall 22 secured So top end frame 15 and form;ng a weather protect;ng : - 4 --` 10~1~984 enclosure. Cap portion 21 encloses a lubricant reservoir, or ~ell Z4, uhich encloses thrust bearing 20. A liquid lubr;cant 26 such as suitable lubricating oil partially fills reservoir ; Z4 and is in heat abscrbing relation ~ith thrust bearing 20.
Reservoir 24 is ;llustrated as beincl formed by an ;nner tubular member 29 secured to top end frame l5 ;n surrounding relation to shaft 16 and by an outer annular member 47 secured to top end frame 15 rad;ally in~ard from enclosure ~all 22. It ~ill be appreciated that in alternative embod;ments the cap portion ~all 22 can form the outer ~all of the reservoir. Thrust bearing 20 has a stat;onary annular bear;ng surface 28a and a relatively rotatable annular bearing surface 28b in rotatable sliding relation with each other on a film of lubricant. Top end frame 15 div;des lubricant reservoir 24 from the interior of frame 11 which encloses rotor 18 and stator core 12.
Dr;ve shaft 16 protrudes through elongated tubular member 29 wh;ch forms the ;nner annular wall of the reservoir and ;s aff;xed at ;ts lower end to top end frame 15 and extends a~ove the top surface of lubr;cant 2b to prevent the lubr;cant ~rom-entering the ;nter;or of yoke 11. A ring-shaped member 3U
having stationary thrust bear;ng surface 28a thereon surrounds tubular member 29 w;th;n reservoir 24 and is affixed to top end frame 15 by su;table means not sho~n. The rotatable annular thrust bearing surface 28b ;s ;llustrated as being on a thrust collar 33 uh;ch ;s mounted ;n f;xed relation to sha~t 16 so that ;t ~ill rotate therewith. Several conventional means may be util;zed to secure thrust collar 33 to shaft 16, but in the preferred embodiment thrust collar 33 ;s mounted on shaft 16 ~ith a sl;p f;t and is secured to shaft 16 by a key 35 ~hich transmits torque bet~een the t~o members~ A lock nut 37 ~ threaded onto drive shaft 16 adjacent its upper end transm;ts '' 1088~
the weight of drive sha~t 16 to thrust collar 33. A lock washer 38 fitting ;nto a circumferential groove in dr;ve shaft 16 may have radially extending tangs which are bent to prevent looseninq of ~ock nut 37 on drive shaft 16.
;~ A general~y hat-shaped coupling 39 surrounds pump shaft 19 above the top surface of drive shaft 16 and is affixed to drive shaft 19 by a key 40 so they rotate together. The lower annu~ar surface of coupling 39 abuts against the top surface of thrust col~ar 33, and coupling 39 may be secured to 10 thrust collar 33 by bo~ts 41. Pump shaft 19 has a radially - extending c;rcumferential flange 43 at its upper end which extends above the top ~urface of coupling 39 so that the weight ~; of pump shaft 19 is transmitted down~ardly from flange 43 to coupling 39 to thrust collar 33 and then to thrust bearing rotatable surface 28b.
A heat pipe assembly 42 is disposed in lubricant well 24 to increase the heat exchange capability with heat-generating thrust bearing 2û. Heat pipe assembly 42 is supported so that its lower evaporator portion 42a is submerged in the ~ubr;cant 26 and ;ts upper condenser portion 42b is disposed above the top surface of the lubricant 26. Heat pipe assembly 42 is ilLustrated as having a plurality of radially spaced apart ro~ls of vertically disposed eLongated heat pipes such as 44a and 44b. Each heat pipe 44 in known manner may comprise a c~osed partially evacuated tube containing a w;ck .
~not sho~n) saturated with a vaporizable working fLuid (not shown) such as water. Heat appl;ed to the evaporator portion 42a of a heat p;pe 44 submerged ;n the lubricant 26 causes the work;ng fluid in the evacuated tube to vapor;ze and thus increase the vapor pressure in the tube and absorb heat from the lubricant 26. As a result the vapor rises through the heat .; .
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; ~ ' . ' . . , ~ . .
~ . : ", '; ' ' 1~8~391~
pipe 44 to the condenser end 42b disposed above the top surface of ~ubricant 26 and carries heat energy to the condenser portion 42b. As the vapor condenses it releases its heat of vaporization and returns as a liquid by the ~ay of the ~ick (or, in the absence of a ~ick, by gravity) to the evaporator portion 42a. Radially ex~ending horizontal f;ns 51 prov;ded along the ent;re height of the heat tubes 44 effect eff;cient heat exchan~e bet~een the condensable med;um and amb;ent a;r as well as the vapor;zable medium and lubricant. The advantages 1û and operating principles of a heat pipe 44 are ~ell known, i.e., it is self-pump;ng and the vapor;zable flu;d c;rculates ~ithout external pump;ng means. A heat pipe may be loosely defined as a heat transfer device ~hich tends to keep both its ends at the same temperature, and such heat pipe is capable of ~ ;
transferring approximately t~o orders of magnitude as much heat as a sol;d copper rod of the same cross section.
It will be appreciated that heat pipe assembly 42 ~ill have a mult;plicity of heat pipes in a direction essentially perpendicular to the plane of the Fig~ 1~view.
Heat pipe assembly 42 may be annular in shape ~not sho~n) or, alternatively, a pluraLity of separate heat pipe assemblies may be disposed ~ithin lubricant ~ell 24. Heat pipe assembly 42 may extend through a suitable opening in, and may be secured by bolts 46, to an annular support plate 48 disposed ~ithin lubricant ~ell 24 in surrounding relation to shaft 16. Annular support plate 48 may be supported at its rad;ally outer margin by annular member 47 ~hose louer edge is secured to top end frame 15 to form the outer uall of reservoir 24. Heat pipe assembly 42 may include a horizontal plate 49 affixed by bolts 46 to annular support plate 48 and may also include a vertical plate 50 affixed by bolts 52 to the depending leg of an , ~ . . :
', . ,, '. . ' '.. , : . : ' .
98~
inverted L-shaped member 53 whose horizontal cross-p;ece portion is affixed by suitable means (not shoun) to annular wall Z2 of motor housing cap portion 21.
At its radially inner end annular support plate 48 may be secured by bolts 54 ~o a ring-shaped retaining guide bearing 55. Retaining guide bearing 55 has a vertically extending circular surface 56 and a horizontal circular surface 57 oPposed to and spaced a slight distance from complementary surfaces on thrust collar 33 for the purpose of prevent;ng up~ard or radial out~ard movement o~ thrust collar 33, thereby maintaining thrust bearing rotatable surface 28b in desired rotatable sliding engagement ~;th thrust bear;ng stationary surface 28a.
Means are provided to draw a high volume of ambient air into housing cap portion 21 and c;rculate ;t past the condenser portion 42b of the heat p;pe assembly 42. A fan hub 58 is disposed against a horizontal shoulder on thrust collar 33 and is aff;xed to thrust collar 33 by a key 59. Fan hub 58 carries an ;nverted frustoconical shaped ~ember 60 ~h;ch at its lowermost end carries a plural;ty of arcuately spaced apart, vertically extending fan blades 61 which draw ambient a;r ;nto hous;ng cap port;on 21 and force the a;r past the condenser section 42b of heat p;pe assembly 42.
Suitable air inlet means are prov;ded ;n housing cap port;on 21 such as the ;llustrated inlet apertures 62 ;n annular wall 22 adjacent the upper marg;n thereof, and su;table a;r exhaust means are similarly provided such as the illus-trated exhaust ap~rtures 63 in wall 22 opposite condenser portion 42b of heat pipe assembly 42~ Such air inlet and air exhaust means combine with fan blades 61 and an inverted frustosonical air baffle 65 to draw a h;gh volume of ambient :
, ~108~ 4 air into cap portion 21 along the paths shown by the arrow A
and circulate the air past the finned condenser sect;on 42b of heat pipe assembly 42 and out of exhaust apertures 63. Baffle 65 directs incoming a;r to~ard the rotating fan blades 61 and may be affixed by bolts 66 to a ring-shaped member 68 secured to annular ~all 22 above heat pipe assembly 42.
A ring-shaped oil separator plate 7û disposed in surrounding relation to shaft 16 and thrust bearing 20 directs the oil Z6 heated by thrust bearing 20 radially out~ard past the evaporator port;on 42b of heat pipe assembly 42 and permits the coo~ed oil 26 ~hich falls to the bottom of the lubricant reservoir 24 to return radially in~ard belo~ oil separator plate 70, thereby causing oil c;rculation in the path indicated by the arrows ~. Oil separator plate 70 may be affixed by bolts 71 to arcuately spaced apart studs 73 uhich are secured to top end fra~e 15. -An oil fill pipe 75 on the exterior of motor housing 10 is secured to and communicates through top end frame 15 to the interior of housing cap port;on 21 and permits filling reservo;r 24 ~ith Lubr;cant 26 to the desired level. A sight glass 76 supported on oil fill pipe 75 permits visual observation of the oil level in reservoir 24 from the exterior of motor housing 10.
Suitable air inlet means into the interior of yoke 11 are provided such as the illustrated inlet apertures 78 in annular frame 11 above stator core 12, and suitable air exhaust ~eans from the interior of the yoke to the atmosphere are also provided such as the illustrated exhaust apertures 7~ in annular frame 11 opposite stator core 12. A ring-shaped 3D horizontally extending air baffle plate 80 surrounds shaft 16 above rotor 18 and dire~ts the air entering through inlet _ 9 _ ', " . , , ~ '' ' ., ':
398 gL
apertures 78 past stator coils 14 and thence radially ;nward so that air flows downward into rotor 18 along the paths indicated by the arrow C. Impeller blades 82 affixed to rotor 18 draw air through inlet aper~ures 78 and past baffle plate 8û and c;rculate the air both vertically downward and rad;ally outward through the stator co;ls 14. The a;r circulates downward of rotor 18 and then radially outward through horizontal grooves 83 in rotor 18 and through similar horizontal grooves 84 in stator core 12 and then radially outward through the exhaust apertures 79. Air baffle 80 may be supported by studs 86 affixed to the lo~er surface of top end frame 15. Similar air circulating means (not shown) including air ;nlet apertures, an air baffle and fan blades are provided at the lower end of the motor and circulate a high volume of air past the stator coils, the rotor and the stator core to aid in cooling of the motor.
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~08~
HEAT EXCHANGER ARRANGEMENT FOR COOLING LU~RICANT
FOR VERTICAL ELECTRIC MOTOR THRUST BEARING : .
~ACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
.
This invention relates to the lubrication and cooling of a thrust bearing in a vertical electric motor.
It is well known to use various types of heat exchanger apparatus to mainta;n a lubricant, which is in heat absorbing contact with the heat-generating thrust bearing of a vertical electric motor, ~ithin a safe operating range of temperatures. Air cooled heat exchangers are frequently used ~0 when the size of the electr;c motor is such that relatively little heat is dissipated from the thrust bearing into the lubricant, and ~ater cooled heat exhangers are used for the lubricant in larger motors which use thrust bearings that generate significantly more heat. In one known air cooled heat exchanger structure the lubricant is contained within a cylindrical reservoir, or ~ell, surrounding the thrust bearing above the top end frame and having hundreds of open-ended pipes sealed to the top and bottom walls of the well, and ambient air is drawn through the pipes to cool the lubricant. Such air cooled heat exchanger apparatus is expensive to construct because of the large number of pipes and also often results in leaks of lubricant at the seals to the pipes ;n the bottom wall of the reservoir into the interior of the motor housing.
Further, the heated air circulating through the pipes enters the interior of the motor housing and makes cooling of the rotor and stator difficult. Another type of heat exchanger is a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger for the lubricant. This type uses cooling tubes submerged in the lubricant through which water is circulated, and such water cooled heat exchangers 3û
require water inlet and ~ater outlet pipes to external pumping .
equipment which prevent the lubricant cool;ng means from be;ng self-conta;ned w;th;n the motor enclosure. Such water cooled heat exchangers utilize mechan;cal moving parts ;n the pump;ng apparatus vhich are subject to wear as uell as ~ater circulat-ing pipes bet~een the motor encLosure and the installation site which are subject to contam;nation~ corros;on and breakage with the result that such heat exchangers are inconven;ent, complex, costly to manufacture and to ma;ntain, and unreliable when subjected to mechanical stresses encountered ;n earthquakes or similar upheavals.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a vertical electric motor with an improved lubr;cant cooling heat exchanger which is entirely self-contained within the motor enclosure and will ma;nta;n the temperature of the thrust bearing within a satisfactory range and also avoid the disadvantages o~ prior art apparatus.
A further object is to provide a single and reliable cooling means for the motor lubricant ~hich is coMpletely self-contained within the motor enclosure and does not requiremechanical or electrical connections to the surrounding installatiûn site. A still further object is to provide such improved cooling means wherein removal of heat from the ~ubricant is accomplished simply and reliably because there are no moving mechanical parts subject to wear and no l;quid cîrculation p;pes From external apparatus subject to corrosion, contamination and breakage.
Another object is to provide a vert;cal electric motor with such an improved lubricant cooling heat exchanger 3û that is economical to maintain. A further object is to provide a vertical electric motor with such an improved lubricant cool-:`
39~4 ing heat exchanger ~herein seals are not required in the bottom~all of the lubricant reservoir so that the problem of lubri-cant leaking into the interior of the motor housing is avoided.
Still another object is to provide a vertical electric motor ~ith such an improved lubricant cooling heat exchanger ~herein the heat exchange medium heated by the lubricant does not enter the interior of the motor housing and does not affect cooling of the rotor and stator.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
_ Additional objects and advantages of the invention vill be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the follo~ing detailed description ~hen considered ~ith the ; accompanying dra~ing ~herein the single figure is a slde elevation view, partly in cross-section, of the upper portion of a vertical electric motor having a lubricant heat exchanger in accordance ~ith the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A vertical electric motor embodying the invention has a housing enclosing a stator, a rotor, a shaft affixed to the rotor for rotation about a vertical axis, and a lubricant-receiving reservo;r above the rotor and the stator. A
heat-generating thrust bearing supported from the housing is d;sposed ~ithin the reservoir and rotatably supports shaft and rotor. Liquid lubricant ~ithin the reservoir is in heat absorbing and lubricating relation with the thrust bearing. A
plurality of heat transfer heat pipes are supported within the reservoir ~;th their evaporator end submerged in the lubricant and their condenser end exposed to the space within the motor enclosure above the lubricant. Air inlet and a;r exhaust means including a plurality of fan blades rotatably driven from the .
.
, .. . .
.~ .
-~08~39~34 shaft dra~ air ;nto the space within the motor enclosure above the top surface of the lubricant and circulate the air past the condenser end of the heat pipes and out of the motor housing to the atmosphere to thereby enhance cool;ng of the thrust bearing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
~eferring to the single figure of the draw;ng, a - vert;cal electric motor incorporating a preferred embodiment of : the invention has a multi-part hollow housing 10 including a centrally disposed annular yoke, or frame 11. Magnet;c steel laminations are aff;xed to yoke 11 to form a stator core 12, and the rad;ally ;nner edges of the lam;nations are slotted to receive a stator ~inding 14. The par~s of the motor and the;r functional relat;onship are well known and require therefore only brief characterizat;on. Hous;ng 1û also includes upper and Lower circular end frames 15 affixed to opposite ends of yoke 11. A hollow dr;ve shaft 16 ;s rotatably mounted uithin the stator core 12 for rotat;on about a vert;cal ax;s and has a ~aminated rotor 18 rig;dly mounted thereon. Shaft 16 hav;ng rotor 18 affixed thereto ;s supported by a heat-generat;ng thrust bear;ng designated generally a.t 20 supported on top end ~ ~rame 15. A centrifugal pump tnot shown) is typ;cally mounted ; ~ith its ;mpeller coaxial with the motor rotor 18 and ;ts shaft 19 protrud;ng through the hollow shaft 16 so that thrust bearing 2û rotatably supports the we;ght of the motor rotor, to ~h;ch ;s added the clownward thrust due to the static we;ght of the pump ;mpeller and the hydraul;c thrust act;ng on the ;mPeller blades.
Motor hous;ng 10 also has a hollow cylindrical cap portion 21 partially defined by an upstand;ng annular wall 22 secured So top end frame 15 and form;ng a weather protect;ng : - 4 --` 10~1~984 enclosure. Cap portion 21 encloses a lubricant reservoir, or ~ell Z4, uhich encloses thrust bearing 20. A liquid lubr;cant 26 such as suitable lubricating oil partially fills reservoir ; Z4 and is in heat abscrbing relation ~ith thrust bearing 20.
Reservoir 24 is ;llustrated as beincl formed by an ;nner tubular member 29 secured to top end frame l5 ;n surrounding relation to shaft 16 and by an outer annular member 47 secured to top end frame 15 rad;ally in~ard from enclosure ~all 22. It ~ill be appreciated that in alternative embod;ments the cap portion ~all 22 can form the outer ~all of the reservoir. Thrust bearing 20 has a stat;onary annular bear;ng surface 28a and a relatively rotatable annular bearing surface 28b in rotatable sliding relation with each other on a film of lubricant. Top end frame 15 div;des lubricant reservoir 24 from the interior of frame 11 which encloses rotor 18 and stator core 12.
Dr;ve shaft 16 protrudes through elongated tubular member 29 wh;ch forms the ;nner annular wall of the reservoir and ;s aff;xed at ;ts lower end to top end frame 15 and extends a~ove the top surface of lubr;cant 2b to prevent the lubr;cant ~rom-entering the ;nter;or of yoke 11. A ring-shaped member 3U
having stationary thrust bear;ng surface 28a thereon surrounds tubular member 29 w;th;n reservoir 24 and is affixed to top end frame 15 by su;table means not sho~n. The rotatable annular thrust bearing surface 28b ;s ;llustrated as being on a thrust collar 33 uh;ch ;s mounted ;n f;xed relation to sha~t 16 so that ;t ~ill rotate therewith. Several conventional means may be util;zed to secure thrust collar 33 to shaft 16, but in the preferred embodiment thrust collar 33 ;s mounted on shaft 16 ~ith a sl;p f;t and is secured to shaft 16 by a key 35 ~hich transmits torque bet~een the t~o members~ A lock nut 37 ~ threaded onto drive shaft 16 adjacent its upper end transm;ts '' 1088~
the weight of drive sha~t 16 to thrust collar 33. A lock washer 38 fitting ;nto a circumferential groove in dr;ve shaft 16 may have radially extending tangs which are bent to prevent looseninq of ~ock nut 37 on drive shaft 16.
;~ A general~y hat-shaped coupling 39 surrounds pump shaft 19 above the top surface of drive shaft 16 and is affixed to drive shaft 19 by a key 40 so they rotate together. The lower annu~ar surface of coupling 39 abuts against the top surface of thrust col~ar 33, and coupling 39 may be secured to 10 thrust collar 33 by bo~ts 41. Pump shaft 19 has a radially - extending c;rcumferential flange 43 at its upper end which extends above the top ~urface of coupling 39 so that the weight ~; of pump shaft 19 is transmitted down~ardly from flange 43 to coupling 39 to thrust collar 33 and then to thrust bearing rotatable surface 28b.
A heat pipe assembly 42 is disposed in lubricant well 24 to increase the heat exchange capability with heat-generating thrust bearing 2û. Heat pipe assembly 42 is supported so that its lower evaporator portion 42a is submerged in the ~ubr;cant 26 and ;ts upper condenser portion 42b is disposed above the top surface of the lubricant 26. Heat pipe assembly 42 is ilLustrated as having a plurality of radially spaced apart ro~ls of vertically disposed eLongated heat pipes such as 44a and 44b. Each heat pipe 44 in known manner may comprise a c~osed partially evacuated tube containing a w;ck .
~not sho~n) saturated with a vaporizable working fLuid (not shown) such as water. Heat appl;ed to the evaporator portion 42a of a heat p;pe 44 submerged ;n the lubricant 26 causes the work;ng fluid in the evacuated tube to vapor;ze and thus increase the vapor pressure in the tube and absorb heat from the lubricant 26. As a result the vapor rises through the heat .; .
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; ~ ' . ' . . , ~ . .
~ . : ", '; ' ' 1~8~391~
pipe 44 to the condenser end 42b disposed above the top surface of ~ubricant 26 and carries heat energy to the condenser portion 42b. As the vapor condenses it releases its heat of vaporization and returns as a liquid by the ~ay of the ~ick (or, in the absence of a ~ick, by gravity) to the evaporator portion 42a. Radially ex~ending horizontal f;ns 51 prov;ded along the ent;re height of the heat tubes 44 effect eff;cient heat exchan~e bet~een the condensable med;um and amb;ent a;r as well as the vapor;zable medium and lubricant. The advantages 1û and operating principles of a heat pipe 44 are ~ell known, i.e., it is self-pump;ng and the vapor;zable flu;d c;rculates ~ithout external pump;ng means. A heat pipe may be loosely defined as a heat transfer device ~hich tends to keep both its ends at the same temperature, and such heat pipe is capable of ~ ;
transferring approximately t~o orders of magnitude as much heat as a sol;d copper rod of the same cross section.
It will be appreciated that heat pipe assembly 42 ~ill have a mult;plicity of heat pipes in a direction essentially perpendicular to the plane of the Fig~ 1~view.
Heat pipe assembly 42 may be annular in shape ~not sho~n) or, alternatively, a pluraLity of separate heat pipe assemblies may be disposed ~ithin lubricant ~ell 24. Heat pipe assembly 42 may extend through a suitable opening in, and may be secured by bolts 46, to an annular support plate 48 disposed ~ithin lubricant ~ell 24 in surrounding relation to shaft 16. Annular support plate 48 may be supported at its rad;ally outer margin by annular member 47 ~hose louer edge is secured to top end frame 15 to form the outer uall of reservoir 24. Heat pipe assembly 42 may include a horizontal plate 49 affixed by bolts 46 to annular support plate 48 and may also include a vertical plate 50 affixed by bolts 52 to the depending leg of an , ~ . . :
', . ,, '. . ' '.. , : . : ' .
98~
inverted L-shaped member 53 whose horizontal cross-p;ece portion is affixed by suitable means (not shoun) to annular wall Z2 of motor housing cap portion 21.
At its radially inner end annular support plate 48 may be secured by bolts 54 ~o a ring-shaped retaining guide bearing 55. Retaining guide bearing 55 has a vertically extending circular surface 56 and a horizontal circular surface 57 oPposed to and spaced a slight distance from complementary surfaces on thrust collar 33 for the purpose of prevent;ng up~ard or radial out~ard movement o~ thrust collar 33, thereby maintaining thrust bearing rotatable surface 28b in desired rotatable sliding engagement ~;th thrust bear;ng stationary surface 28a.
Means are provided to draw a high volume of ambient air into housing cap portion 21 and c;rculate ;t past the condenser portion 42b of the heat p;pe assembly 42. A fan hub 58 is disposed against a horizontal shoulder on thrust collar 33 and is aff;xed to thrust collar 33 by a key 59. Fan hub 58 carries an ;nverted frustoconical shaped ~ember 60 ~h;ch at its lowermost end carries a plural;ty of arcuately spaced apart, vertically extending fan blades 61 which draw ambient a;r ;nto hous;ng cap port;on 21 and force the a;r past the condenser section 42b of heat p;pe assembly 42.
Suitable air inlet means are prov;ded ;n housing cap port;on 21 such as the ;llustrated inlet apertures 62 ;n annular wall 22 adjacent the upper marg;n thereof, and su;table a;r exhaust means are similarly provided such as the illus-trated exhaust ap~rtures 63 in wall 22 opposite condenser portion 42b of heat pipe assembly 42~ Such air inlet and air exhaust means combine with fan blades 61 and an inverted frustosonical air baffle 65 to draw a h;gh volume of ambient :
, ~108~ 4 air into cap portion 21 along the paths shown by the arrow A
and circulate the air past the finned condenser sect;on 42b of heat pipe assembly 42 and out of exhaust apertures 63. Baffle 65 directs incoming a;r to~ard the rotating fan blades 61 and may be affixed by bolts 66 to a ring-shaped member 68 secured to annular ~all 22 above heat pipe assembly 42.
A ring-shaped oil separator plate 7û disposed in surrounding relation to shaft 16 and thrust bearing 20 directs the oil Z6 heated by thrust bearing 20 radially out~ard past the evaporator port;on 42b of heat pipe assembly 42 and permits the coo~ed oil 26 ~hich falls to the bottom of the lubricant reservoir 24 to return radially in~ard belo~ oil separator plate 70, thereby causing oil c;rculation in the path indicated by the arrows ~. Oil separator plate 70 may be affixed by bolts 71 to arcuately spaced apart studs 73 uhich are secured to top end fra~e 15. -An oil fill pipe 75 on the exterior of motor housing 10 is secured to and communicates through top end frame 15 to the interior of housing cap port;on 21 and permits filling reservo;r 24 ~ith Lubr;cant 26 to the desired level. A sight glass 76 supported on oil fill pipe 75 permits visual observation of the oil level in reservoir 24 from the exterior of motor housing 10.
Suitable air inlet means into the interior of yoke 11 are provided such as the illustrated inlet apertures 78 in annular frame 11 above stator core 12, and suitable air exhaust ~eans from the interior of the yoke to the atmosphere are also provided such as the illustrated exhaust apertures 7~ in annular frame 11 opposite stator core 12. A ring-shaped 3D horizontally extending air baffle plate 80 surrounds shaft 16 above rotor 18 and dire~ts the air entering through inlet _ 9 _ ', " . , , ~ '' ' ., ':
398 gL
apertures 78 past stator coils 14 and thence radially ;nward so that air flows downward into rotor 18 along the paths indicated by the arrow C. Impeller blades 82 affixed to rotor 18 draw air through inlet aper~ures 78 and past baffle plate 8û and c;rculate the air both vertically downward and rad;ally outward through the stator co;ls 14. The a;r circulates downward of rotor 18 and then radially outward through horizontal grooves 83 in rotor 18 and through similar horizontal grooves 84 in stator core 12 and then radially outward through the exhaust apertures 79. Air baffle 80 may be supported by studs 86 affixed to the lo~er surface of top end frame 15. Similar air circulating means (not shown) including air ;nlet apertures, an air baffle and fan blades are provided at the lower end of the motor and circulate a high volume of air past the stator coils, the rotor and the stator core to aid in cooling of the motor.
,
Claims (10)
1. A lubricant heat exchanger arrangement for a vertical electric motor comprising, in combination, a cylindrical motor housing with its axis disposed vertically and including top and bottom end frames, a stator rigidly mounted in said housing, a rotor rotably mounted in said housing, a drive shaft affixed to said rotor with its axis disposed vertically and extending through said top and bottom end frames, wall means above said top end frame defining a cup-shaped lubricant-receiving reservoir, a thrust bearing disposed in said reservoir and having a stationary annular bearing surface mounted in fixed relation to said top end frame and a rotatable annular bearing surface mounted in fixed relation to said shaft and being in sliding rotatable engagement with said stationary bearing surface so that said thrust bearing rotatably supports said shaft and said rotor, liquid lubricant in said reservoir in lubricating and heat absorbing relation with said thrust bearing, a plurality of heat transferring heat pipes disposed in said reservoir with one end submerged in said lubricant and the other end exposed to air within said housing above said lubricant, and air inlet and air exhaust means for moving air into said housing above said lubricant and for circulating it past said other end of said heat tubes and exhausting it from said housing, said means for moving air including a plurality of fan blades within said housing and means operatively connected to said shaft for rotating said fan blades.
2. A lubricant heat exhanger arrangement in accordance with claim 1 wherein said heat tubes are elongated and disposed vertically and have radially extending fins in heat exchange relation with said lubricant and also with the air within said housing above the top surface of said lubricant.
3. A lubricant heat exchanger arrangement in accordance with claim 1 or 2 wherein said motor housing has a hollow cap portion positioned above said top end frame and enclosing said reservoir, and said air inlet and air exhaust means include apertures in the wall of said housing defining said cap portion.
4. A lubricant heat exchanger arrangement in accordance with claim 1 or 2 wherein:
said motor housing has a hollow cap portion positioned above said top end frame and enclosing said reservoir, and said air inlet and air exhaust means include apertures in the wall of said housing defining said cap portion; and said motor housing also includes an annular metallic frame enclosing said stator and said rotor and having air inlet apertures therein and air exhaust apertures therein, and second air inlet and air exhaust means for moving air into the interior of said frame through said air inlet apertures and past said rotor and said stator and out of said air exhaust apertures.
said motor housing has a hollow cap portion positioned above said top end frame and enclosing said reservoir, and said air inlet and air exhaust means include apertures in the wall of said housing defining said cap portion; and said motor housing also includes an annular metallic frame enclosing said stator and said rotor and having air inlet apertures therein and air exhaust apertures therein, and second air inlet and air exhaust means for moving air into the interior of said frame through said air inlet apertures and past said rotor and said stator and out of said air exhaust apertures.
5. In a vertical electric motor, the combination of a cylindrical housing, a stator rigidly mounted in said housing, a rotor mounted in said housing for rotation about a vertical axis, a shaft rigidly affixed in coaxial relation to said rotor, wall means defining a cup-shaped lubricant-receiving reservoir within said housing above said rotor and said stator, a thrust bearing disposed within said reservoir and having a stationary annular bearing surface supported from said housing and a rotatable annular bearing surface rigidly connected to said shaft and being in rotatable sliding engagement with said stationary bearing surface so that said thrust bearing rotatably supports said shaft and said rotor, liquid lubricant in said reservoir in heat absorbing relation with said thrust bearing, a plurality of heat transfer heat pipes within said reservoir with one end submerged in said lubricant and the other end exposed to air within said housing above said lubricant, and air inlet and air exhaust means for moving air into said housing above said reservoir and for circulating said air past said other end of said heat tubes and exhausting it from said housing.
6. In a vertical electric motor, the combination in accordance with claim 5 wherein said heat pipes are finned and disposed vertically, said housing has air inlet apertures therein above said reservoir and also has air exhaust apertures therein opposite said other end of said heat pipes, and said air inlet and air exhaust means include said air inlet apertures and said air exhaust apertures.
7. In a vertical electric motor, the combination in accordance with claim 6 wherein said air inlet and air exhaust means also include a plurality of fan blades within said housing and means operatively connected to said shaft for rotating said fan blades to draw air into said housing through said air inlet apertures and circulate said air past said other end of said heat pipes and out of said exhaust apertures.
8. In a vertical electric motor, the combination in accordance with claim 6 or 7 wherein said housing has top and bottom end frames extending transversely of the axis of said shaft and said top end frame forms the bottom wall of said reservoir and supports the portion of said thrust bearing having said stationary annular bearing surface.
9. In a vertical electric motor, the combination in accordance with claim 6 or 7 wherein:
said housing has top and bottom end frames extending transversely of the axis of said shaft and said top end frame forms the bottom wall of said reservoir and supports the portion of said thrust bearing having said stationary annular bearing surface; and said housing has a hollow cap portion secured to said top end frame and enclosing said reservoir and wherein said air inlet apertures and said air exhaust apertures are in the walls of said housing defining said cap portion.
said housing has top and bottom end frames extending transversely of the axis of said shaft and said top end frame forms the bottom wall of said reservoir and supports the portion of said thrust bearing having said stationary annular bearing surface; and said housing has a hollow cap portion secured to said top end frame and enclosing said reservoir and wherein said air inlet apertures and said air exhaust apertures are in the walls of said housing defining said cap portion.
10. In a vertical electric motor, the combination in accordance with claim 6 or 7 wherein:
said housing has top and bottom end frames extending transversely of the axis of said shaft and said top end frame forms the bottom wall of said reservoir and supports the portion of said thrust bearing having said stationary annular bearing surface;
said housing has a hollow cap portion secured to said top end frame and enclosing said reservoir and wherein said air inlet apertures and said air exhaust apertures are in the walls of said housing defining said cap portion; and said housing has an annular frame in surrounding relation to said stator and said rotor and having other air inlet apertures and other air exhaust apertures therein, and also including second air inlet and air exhaust means for moving air through said other air inlet apertures and past said rotor and said stator and out of said other air exhaust apertures to thereby aid in cooling said rotor and said stator.
said housing has top and bottom end frames extending transversely of the axis of said shaft and said top end frame forms the bottom wall of said reservoir and supports the portion of said thrust bearing having said stationary annular bearing surface;
said housing has a hollow cap portion secured to said top end frame and enclosing said reservoir and wherein said air inlet apertures and said air exhaust apertures are in the walls of said housing defining said cap portion; and said housing has an annular frame in surrounding relation to said stator and said rotor and having other air inlet apertures and other air exhaust apertures therein, and also including second air inlet and air exhaust means for moving air through said other air inlet apertures and past said rotor and said stator and out of said other air exhaust apertures to thereby aid in cooling said rotor and said stator.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US05/912,979 US4270064A (en) | 1978-06-05 | 1978-06-05 | Heat exchange arrangement for cooling lubricant for vertical electric motor thrust bearing |
| US912,979 | 1978-06-05 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1088984A true CA1088984A (en) | 1980-11-04 |
Family
ID=25432794
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA328,818A Expired CA1088984A (en) | 1978-06-05 | 1979-05-31 | Heat exchanger arrangement for cooling lubricant for vertical electric motor thrust bearing |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US4270064A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1088984A (en) |
Families Citing this family (22)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE3714928C2 (en) * | 1986-05-07 | 1995-08-17 | Mitsubishi Electric Corp | Heat exchanger |
| US5220978A (en) * | 1991-02-21 | 1993-06-22 | Texaco Inc. | Cooling system for journalled rotating shaft machinery |
| US5343101A (en) * | 1992-02-25 | 1994-08-30 | Magnetek Century Electric, Inc. | Plastic air deflector for rotating dynamoelectric machine |
| US5757094A (en) * | 1997-03-28 | 1998-05-26 | General Electric Canada Inc. | Ventilation system for an AC machine having overhanging salient poles with juxtaposed shrouds |
| CA2324322C (en) | 2000-10-26 | 2008-12-30 | General Electric Canada Inc. | Thrust bearing |
| US6914355B2 (en) * | 2002-12-19 | 2005-07-05 | Honeywell International Inc. | Common radial plane motor cooling |
| US7815374B2 (en) * | 2004-08-31 | 2010-10-19 | Siemens Industry, Inc. | System for maintaining a vertical motor thrust bearing |
| US7849970B2 (en) * | 2004-08-31 | 2010-12-14 | Siemens Industry, Inc. | Method for maintaining a vertical motor thrust bearing |
| US8134260B2 (en) * | 2006-06-19 | 2012-03-13 | Hpev, Inc. | Electric motor with heat pipes |
| US7569955B2 (en) * | 2006-06-19 | 2009-08-04 | Thermal Motor Innovations, Llc | Electric motor with heat pipes |
| US8283818B2 (en) * | 2006-06-19 | 2012-10-09 | Hpev, Inc. | Electric motor with heat pipes |
| US8198770B2 (en) * | 2008-04-04 | 2012-06-12 | Hpev, Inc. | Heat pipe bearing cooler systems and methods |
| US8148858B2 (en) * | 2008-08-06 | 2012-04-03 | Hpev, Inc. | Totally enclosed heat pipe cooled motor |
| US8496432B2 (en) * | 2010-03-22 | 2013-07-30 | Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation | Thrust bearing cooling path |
| US8794846B2 (en) | 2012-10-02 | 2014-08-05 | Siemens Industry, Inc. | Apparatus and methods of self cooling a vertical motor thrust bearing |
| JP2014166062A (en) * | 2013-02-26 | 2014-09-08 | Toshiba Mitsubishi-Electric Industrial System Corp | Rotary electric machine and lubrication oil cooling mechanism |
| US9863476B2 (en) * | 2013-03-15 | 2018-01-09 | Toshiba International Corporation | Self-cooled and-or self lubricated electric motor bearing systems |
| FR3039338B1 (en) * | 2015-07-24 | 2018-12-07 | Moteurs Leroy-Somer | ROTATING ELECTRICAL MACHINE WITH IMPROVED COOLING |
| KR102010444B1 (en) * | 2015-08-19 | 2019-08-13 | 다이도 메탈 고교 가부시키가이샤 | Vertical bearing device |
| WO2017029969A1 (en) * | 2015-08-19 | 2017-02-23 | 大同メタル工業株式会社 | Vertical bearing device |
| US10670137B2 (en) * | 2017-04-05 | 2020-06-02 | Sundyne, Llc | Self contained bearing box cooling system |
| CN112815014B (en) * | 2021-03-31 | 2023-03-28 | 东方电气集团东方电机有限公司 | Bearing cooling structure and wind driven generator |
Family Cites Families (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3017526A (en) * | 1958-04-04 | 1962-01-16 | Us Electrical Motors Inc | Weather protected vertical motors |
| US3549922A (en) * | 1968-09-06 | 1970-12-22 | Konstantin Fedorovich Kostin | Vertical shaft electric machine |
| FR2190531B1 (en) * | 1972-06-29 | 1974-12-27 | Commissariat Energie Atomique | |
| US3870907A (en) * | 1973-10-11 | 1975-03-11 | Gen Electric | Lubricant cooling apparatus for a vertical electric motor |
-
1978
- 1978-06-05 US US05/912,979 patent/US4270064A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
1979
- 1979-05-31 CA CA328,818A patent/CA1088984A/en not_active Expired
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| US4270064A (en) | 1981-05-26 |
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